Peking University Alumni Receive Fields Medals, 14 Researchers to Speak at ICM 2026

Two alumni from Peking University (PKU), Wang Hong and Deng Yu, were awarded the 2026 Fields Medal at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in Philadelphia. The Fields Medal is considered one of the highest honors in mathematics, and this marks a significant achievement for PKU.

Wang and Deng are among the four recipients of the medal this year. Their recognition is historic for PKU, as it is the first time two graduates from the same cohort, 2007, have won the award in the same year. Wang also becomes the third woman and the first Chinese woman ever to receive the Fields Medal.

Wang is recognized for her work on the Kakeya conjecture in three dimensions, a problem at the intersection of analysis and geometry. She is currently a professor at Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHES).

Deng, who studied at PKU before attending MIT and earning his doctorate from Princeton University, has made significant breakthroughs related to Hilbert's sixth problem. His research established a mathematical link between the dynamics of microscopic particles and macroscopic kinetic and fluid equations.

In addition to the medals, PKU has set another record with 10 alumni and 4 faculty members invited to speak at ICM 2026, highlighting the university's growing international presence and contributions to the field of mathematics.